Research

Kiichiro Toyoda

Kiichiro Toyoda

Cooperated with his father Sakichi to develop automatic loom as well as textile machinery. Based on the foundations of those loom business, Kiichiro Toyoda devoted himself to the development of domestic technology in pursuit of mass production of automobiles and built the foundations of the automobile industry. Here, we trace the course of Kiichiro’s life.

1894
  • Kiichiro Toyoda born in Shizuoka Prefecture (113-2, Yamaguchi, Yoshizu-mura, Fuchi-gun)
1924
  • Completes non-stop shuttle change automatic loom TypeG
1929
  • Transfers patent for the type G automatic loom to Platt Brothers & Co., Ltd. of the U.K.
1931
  • High-draft spinning frame completed
  • Small gasoline engine prototype (with a 4PS output) developed
1934
  • Plant for prototype production completed
    Installation of machinery and equipment imported from the West begins
  • Steel mill completed
  • First Type A engine completed
1935
  • First Model A1 passenger car prototype completed
  • Decision to double capital and begin full-scale automobile production made at an extraordinary stockholders’s meeting ; burden of capital increase to 3,000,000yen taken by Toyoda Bosyoku Shou
  • Model G1 prototype truck completed
1936
  • Mass production of Model AA passenger cars (improved Model A1) starts
  • Kariya Assembly Plant (today’s Kariya Plant at Toyota Auto Body Co.,Ltd.) starts operations
  • Toyota logo designed; product name changed from Toyoda to Toyota
  • Production of Model GA truck (improved Model G1) started
1937
  • Toyota Motor Co.,Ltd. established
1938
  • Construction of Koromo Plant completed
  • Koromo Plant starts flow and Just-in-Time production
  • Research laboratory for airplanes established at Koromo Plant
1939
  • Shibaura Plant established; storage battery research laboratory established at Shibaura Plant
  • Prototype Model AE passenger car “Shin-Nihon” completed
1940
  • Tianjin Plant divided to establish Hokushi Jidosha Kogyo
  • Toyota Steel Works,Ltd. (today’s Aichi Steel Corporation) established
  • Toyoda Physical and Chemical Research Institute established
1941
  • Toyoda Machine Works, Ltd. established
1942
  • Shanghai Plant divided to establish Kachu Toyoda Jidosha Kogyo
  • Airplane Department started
1943
  • Tokai Hikoki Co.,Ltd. (today’s Aisin Corporation) established
1945
  • Kariya Plant becomes independent; changes to Toyota Shatai Kogyo,Ltd. (today’s Toyota Auto Body Co.,Ltd.)
1947
  • Production of Model SA small passenger car (Toyota’s first small passenger car) started
1948
  • Nisshin Tsusho Kaisya Ltd. (today’s Toyota Tsusho Corporation) established
1949
  • Nagoya Rubber Co.,Ltd. (today’s Toyoda Gosei co.,Ltd) established
  • Nippondenso Co.,Ltd. (today’s Denso Corporation) established.
1950
  • First Model BX truck prototype completed; undergose 5,000km running test
  • Toyota Moter Sales Co.,Ltd. established
  • Minsei Spinning Co.,Ltd. (today’s Toyota Boshoku Corp.) established
1951
  • Production of Model BX 4-ton truck (improved Model BM) and the Model BY bus started
1952
  • Development of first-generation Crown automobile begins
  • Kiichiro dies aged 57; posthumously awarded the Fourth Class Order of the Sacred Treasure and the Junior Grade of the Fifth Rank of Honor by the Japanese government
  • Model AA passenger car, 1936

  • Model G1 truck, 1935